A SERIOUSLY RARE,DESIRABLE & COMPLETE EARLY ENTRANT & EARY CASUALTY 1914 STAR & BAR TRIO & DELHI DURBAR, PLAQUE & SCROLL. To: 1024.Pte.G.W. LAMPKIN. 1/Northumberland Fusiliers KILLED IN ACTION. 8th NOVEMBER 1914. Age 29. 1st Battle of Ypres.[BIOGRAPHY]George William LAMPKIN was born in Sittingbourne Kent in 1885 and at the time of his attestation was living in Maidstone. Prior to WW1 he was out in India with the 1st/5th Fusiliers to which his 1911 Delhi Durbar medal is officially impressed: 1024 Pte G. Lampkin 1/5 Fus. which is VERY unusual. He entered France with the 1st /Northumberland Fusiliers on 27th August 1914 and took part in all the early actions of the Great War. On 7th November 1914 he had just arrived in the front lines at position just 1mile East of HOOGE on the high ground overlooking HERENTAGE CHATEAU which position was being heavily contested by the Germans. On the 8th November at 4:00am in the morning the unit received an order, "TO HOLD THE LINE AT ALL COSTS" All through the day the position was the subject of intermittent enemy shelling and rifle fire and at about 5:30pm under the newly arrived darkness the enemy left their trenches and charged the right of the British positions.
Our position held out and heavy rifle and machine gun fire was brought to bear on the enemy which coming as a surprise repulsed them and caused them very great losses. It was during this evening enemy attack at just after 5:30pm on the 8th November 1914 that George Lampkin lost his life. As he was clearly killed in our trenches during his defence of our own lines his body was clearly recovered and he is buried at BEDFORD HOUSE CEMETERY. He was just 29. George was the son of Charles & Hannah Mary Lampkin of Pidgeon Farm Cottage, Bobbing, Sittingbourne, Kent. AN EXCELLENT & RARE COMPLETE ASSEMBLY. MEDALS "MINT" WITH ORIGINAL CLASP. Plaque is EF (slightly cleaned). Scroll is clean VF+ with some holes on the lower edge but well clear of the inscriptions. An unusual combination with a 1911 Delhi Durbar.£795 with part exchanges welcome.